Buzz Lightyear and the gang are coming to Dallas.
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode, and Wall-E are leaping off the big screen and into the science lab this spring. A new exhibition called "The Science Behind Pixar" will make its Texas debut at Dallas' Perot Museum of Nature and Science on April 25.

According to a release, the exhibit will look inside the Pixar process, exploring the science and technology behind some of the most beloved animated films and their characters.

Visitors will be able to get hands-on with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts used by Pixar artists and computer scientists who help bring award-winning films to the big screen.

"With more than 50 interactive elements, the exhibition takes visitors through eight of the steps of the filmmaking process, giving an unparalleled view of the production pipeline and concepts used at Pixar every day," the museum says in the release. "Participate in fun and engaging activities, listen to firsthand accounts from members of the studios’ production teams, and come face-to-face with re-creations of Pixar’s most beloved characters."

The exhibition was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston, in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. This will be its first stop in Texas.

Before it opens, though, Perot Museum visitors can get one last look at the world-exclusive "Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind exhibition," which closes on March 22. The exhibit features fossils of two recently unearthed species — named top discoveries of the last decade by National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine — which will return to their permanent home in South Africa when their run in Dallas ends.

"We are thrilled to host two extraordinary exhibitions back-to-back this spring at the Perot Museum,” says Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott CEO of the Perot Museum, in the release. “Here’s your last — and possibly only — chance to see incredible ancient hominin fossils in our Origins exhibition. And it’s no surprise that The Science Behind Pixar exhibition is generating buzz and excitement as we prepare to welcome the adored animated characters that have become cultural icons to millions of people.”

General admission is $20 for adults, $13 for youth, and $18 for seniors. "Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind" requires a surcharge of $8-$10. "The Science Behind Pixar requires a surcharge of $10-$12."

For more information about the exhibitions and other spring happenings, visit the museum's website.